The present invention relates, in general, to mechanisms for steering and controlling vehicles, and more particularly, to a method and a mechanism for controlling an airborne vehicle, and more particularly an airborne vehicle constructed by integrating a vehicle such as a motorbike and a fixed wing flight device.
A variety of airborne vehicles and methods and systems for controlling them have been developed in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,365 to Freeland discloses an airborne vehicle comprising a body, a lifting mechanism, and a steering mechanism. The lifting mechanism comprises first and second counter-rotating propellers mounted in a front end and a rear end, respectively, of the vehicle body. The steering mechanism comprises a plurality of louvers mounted on a bottom of the vehicle body below the propellers. An operator uses a steering mechanism in a passenger position to adjust inclinations of the louvers so as to steer the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,848 to Crow discloses a roadable airplane consisting of a single-seat three-wheeled vehicle with wing panels hung longitudinally on the sides of the chassis for road use and attached transversely to a spar box for flight. A power train is used that enables the simultaneous powering of two rear wheels and an overhead pusher propeller for transition from road to air travel. A transaxle for a four-wheel automotive vehicle was found to be advantageously suitable for this purpose. Multiple gears and differential outputs drive the wheels, providing a normal automotive performance on the road. A novel joystick assembly is used to steer the front wheel and to control wing flaps, an elevator and a rudder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,690 to Bragg discloses a combination powered parachute and motorcycle that modifies a conventional motorcycle with the addition of various flight components to provide sustained flight for the machine. A peripheral and overhead safety structure is installed upon the motorcycle, with a second flight engine, propeller, folding propeller guard, and fuel system also installed. The flight engine and all of its systems are completely independent of the conventional motorcycle engine used for surface propulsion. A set of laterally disposed stabilizer wheels is also provided for transition from ground to flight and from flight to ground operation. Lift is provided by a folding parafoil device of either the ram air inflated or partially pneumatically inflated type.
In addition the following non-patent publications are known:
Flying motorcycle simulation (x-plane), computerized, without flight controls.
The AirBike™ uses a pair of contra-rotating, ducted fans to generate vectored thrust. (http://www.geocities.com/alliedaerobiker/airbikeology.html) no wheeles.
Aerobike paragliding bicycle, paraglider works with airfoil manipulation not control surfaces (http://www.calvert-trust.org.uk/keswick/aerobike.htm).
PALV, a personal air land vehicle; comprising a three-winged autogiro with an integrated cockpit, and standard controls (http://www.sparkdesign.nl/en/actueel/20041013palv/20041013press.html).
Known gliders land with one wheel, and balance with ailerons.
ErCoupe/AirCoupe; with conventional aircraft controls except for integrated rudder control, incapable of road use.
Swiss company Peraves totally enclosed ECOMOBILE motorcycle.
Hangliders use single bar control, weight shift not control surface, push=up, pull=down.
The Flying Motorcycle; not a commercial cycle, only wings detach, with permanent outriggers, no description of control, assume rudder pedals (http://www.transairsystems.com).
U.S. Pat. App. 2005/0109874, Vertical lift flying craft; uses downward forcing fans, not conventional airfoil lift.
U.S. Pat. App. 2005/0040283, Method of propulsion and attitude control in fluid environments and vehicles using said method; uses drive fans and venting to control flight, not a method of driver control.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,635, Apparatus and method for flight control of an aircraft; body with adjustable intake ports ducting air into an internal intake manifold
U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,242, Method and system for controlling an aircraft control surface; control surface elements mounted to rotate about an axis on a stabilizer element.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,900, Flight control system and method; a differential acceleration signal which is used to control elevator control surface of an aircraft to provide enhanced pitch stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,942, Steerable parachute control system and method; an autonomous guided parachute system for cargo.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,453, Method and apparatus for safe solo flight of side-by-side dual-control aircraft from centerplane seat; right hand placed on the right grip of the right control wheel, left hand placed on the left rip of the left control wheel, feet on the most rightward and most leftward of the four rudder pedals, so that a pilot can control the airplane with conventional motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,242, Method and system for controlling an aircraft control surface; reduce the mass of the stabilizer elements such as the fin, a horizontal stabilizer or a wing structure for example. This known control system introduces into the steering commands set at the rudder bar, nonlinear filtering that depends on the available rudder travel.
Method of Sikorsky helicopter control; uses foot pedals for yaw, bar for tilt (C Gablehouse “Helicopters and Autogiros,” 1969)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,661, Steering device; supplementing the manual force required.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,885,917, an intelligent deployment schedule for the mast valve, cruise nozzle, canard, horizontal tail, and rotor blade speed reference that increases the flight envelope during the compound mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,543, Watercraft; describes integrated yaw and roll control method.
The present invention is different from the above devices in that it provides a different method and associated mechanism for controlling an airborne vehicle, comprising the combination of a steering mechanism.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism that can be used with a conventional vehicle, including a two-wheeled vehicle, for controlling an integrated airborne flight device.
A further object is to provide a method that uses the handlebar of a motorcycle to concurrently and independently control roll, pitch and yaw of the flight device, or a bar that, in conjunction with controlling roll, pitch and yaw of a flight device, manipulates a motorcycle handlebar.
A further object is to provide a mechanism that can be detached from, and does not hinder normal operation of the ground vehicle steering mechanism when it is detached from the flight device.
A further object is to provide a method that enables convenient control and operation of the airborne vehicle. These and other objects of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the appended Summary, Description, and Claims.
Flying personal aircraft can satisfy a desire for adventure and freedom. Unfortunately, the adventure is often limited by the lack of available destinations. A common expression in the aviation community is the “hundred-dollar hamburger.” This phrase references the eating-places that are located at small airports for the fly-in customer and the irony of the cost for a simple lunch once the flight expenses are included. People are flying just to pick up a burger, eat a pancake breakfast, or participate in a “fly-in.” These events and restaurants have been created as an attempt to solve the lack of destination problem.
Ground transportation removes the limits on personal aviation destinations, but taxicab service, a dedicated destination car, or car rental, all reduce freedom and add cost. Rental cars are only available at larger airports where, in addition to the car rental fees, pilots often incur landing and aircraft storage fees. A pilot that frequents one particular location might leave a car at that destination, but this won't help for other locations. Taxicabs need to be coordinated, often in advance, and can be very expensive.
The solution of the “Flying Car,” or “Roadable Aircraft,” has previously been attempted with limited success. A “Flying Car” could carry passengers and luggage, but a car requires Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) roadworthiness adherence, which make them heavy, and aircraft need to be light. Vertical take off and landing (VTOL) crafts, like helicopters, do not require an airport, but are loud, require enormous power, and are complex to build, fly, and maintain. Trailering the wings and flight mechanics of either type of vehicle would enable the “fly-drive-fly” scenario, but wings are big and the road is narrow. However, a motorcycle can drive on the road, carry a pilot/driver and passenger, and is lightweight. A wing/engine device could be attached for flight and left at the airport. An operator on a motorcycle is already dressed for outside operation and generally would wish to avoid excessive cold and bad weather, like an aircraft pilot would.
The standard methods of control of a fixed-wing aircraft and commercially available motorcycle are incompatible, as both require the use of foot controls. A motorcycle is operated with the feet for rear breaking and transmission gear shifting: the right foot operates a pedal that controls the rear breaking; the left foot pushes down and toes-up a lever that changes gears. An aircraft is operated with the feet for both in-flight yaw—pushing on either the right or left pedal steers the aircraft to the right or left—and to control ground maneuvering/ground wheel breaks.
As the disclosed invention will solve this challenge of the flying motorcycle, it is important to note the additional advantages that this model will provide. This device, by using a commercial motorcycle, would reduce the production costs and improve performance; any new product, or vehicle, being made in small-batches would have higher production expenses than a mass-produced item; an incorporated mass-produced motorcycle would provide much of the structure and hardware at expenses lower than custom fabrication; the motorcycle would provide the seats, wheels, suspension, and ground breaks; the large suspension travel and motorcycle wheels would enable takeoff and landing on unfinished ground; the motorcycle engine would enable ground propulsion to assist in takeoff rolls, getting the craft up to speed quickly; the in-line wheels would have lower aerodynamic drag than three wheels, may also enable ‘leaning in’ to turns, and would avoid the risk of spinning an aircraft around during landing, a common accident with tail-wheel aircraft called a ground loop; Ground maneuvering, or taxiing, could be performed at greater speeds that conventional aircraft because of the improved balance that ‘leaning in’ could provide.